It’s the end of free live F1 on TV . This year the only live race that’s free to air on CH4 is the British GP all the other races will be recorded highlights . If you want to watch the races live then it’s got to be purchased .
And talk is 2020 there will be no free highlights on Channel 4 , all coverage will have to be by subscription. They have shot themselves in the foot . I have watched F1 from the early days when it was in black and white and hard to find at obscure times but the good old days have gone . It’s all so predictable now I just continue to watch it as I think it’s going to get better but it never does .

Sky 1 did show a race last year free to view live but CH4 was going to show highlights later in the eve so took the opportunity to watch it on Sky and just think the team commentating were not a patch on the CH4 team. A magazine article last year said that the viewing figures on CH4 are so much higher that Sky and people preferred CH4 coverage . Also Bernie is not in favour of F1 not being free to air and if viewing figures drop more I don’t think a lot of the sponsors will be to happy either .

Personally, I haven't watched "live F1" in the true sense for some years, since Tivo and pre-set series links made it easy and reliable to record and watch later, at a time of my choice. As for choosing between Live vs Highlights, I find I usually like the highlights programmes better, as there are usually enough boring bits available to cut out (sometimes more than enough! ) without reducing the interest.
If F1 decide they don't want me, well that's their loss rather than mine.

....Roger

RSSOC member (since 1982)
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"Condition can be bought at any time; Originality, once lost, is gone forever" - Doug Nye

I agree with Roger that I rarely get the oppurtunity to watch F1 'live' these days, but am still an avid fan. I have had any F1, but prefer the CH4 coverage as the sky analysis of every bloody thing, is just overkill. I loved Brundle though. Ch4 is just enough, Coulthard is a good pundit, the Welsh bloke is tolerable, EJ is comical but gets access that mortals wouldn't, and Webber is a straight talking Aussie.

Shall mean I have to find a pub or sports bar that will show it live on a big screen, sacrifices I make for F1

Racing is life, everything before and after, is just waiting--Steve McQueen
6 time Class Champ, 2006 & 2014 SSSC Champion

Yes, I think David Coulthard has matured into a very good commentator/pundit. Incidentally, did you know he is co-owner (with Jake Humphrey) of Whisper Films, the company that produces the Channel 4 coverage (along with lots more besides).

....Roger

RSSOC member (since 1982)
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"Condition can be bought at any time; Originality, once lost, is gone forever" - Doug Nye

I managed to get a deal for sky sports a few months back, I moved from Virgin media and with the deal I'm paying less that I was before and I now have all sports in HD. The problem is, the other half dozen sports channels are wasted on me. Who wants to see two dozen blokes chasing a bag of air around a field? not me

I watched a few on Ch4 last year and a few on Sky (via Now TV, which is great because there are loads of deals to be had on that too, and you can dip in and out as you like). I actually preferred the Sky coverage, mainly because of Martin Brundle and Crofty, and not forgetting Jonny Herbert and Damon Hill. The CH4 pundits just didn't seem to gel quite as well.

Really looking forward to this season, as I think LeClerc will be quite special and should give Vettel a good run for his money. And hopefully Mclaren will be further up the grid. Three Brits too ! Can't wait

I've always been on Virgin, because I'm on cable so I'm on their superfast broadband (currently 200 mbs), I certainly wouldn't want to downgrade that and it seems a bit pointless to switch just the TV for the sake of one channel (as you say, virtually all of the sport is rubbish anyway). If necessary, I could of course get sky F1 on Virgin if I was prepared to pay.

....Roger

RSSOC member (since 1982)
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"Condition can be bought at any time; Originality, once lost, is gone forever" - Doug Nye

I enjoy the F1 on Sky although maybe they go a bit OTT with the coverage. I'm not averse to watching the football and the Cricket too I have BT Sport too as part of my broadband deal. I've rang to cancel it a few times and they have always done me a better deal and I ended up sticking with it. The BT interface is pants though

For those that haven't seen or used the new Sky Q it really is quite superb IMO; even the Mrs likes it

Last edited by swoakes on Fri Mar 01, 2019 1:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I still have 200mb Virgin Broadband Roger. I rang and threatened cancellation, so they dropped the price substantially. Overall I'm still paying less than I was before. The bonus is that all the Sky streamed services are very fast indeed via the 200mb Virgin BB.

As Steve says, Sky Q is superb. I had the Virgin V6 box previously and it just doesn't compare for speed, and it's very intuitive. Then there's the bonus of SkyGo, which means I can watch Sky F1 (or any other sky channel) on my phone or iPad anywhere.